Altman Calls for AI Pacing as Trump Rejects Slowdown

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has called for artificial intelligence companies to "pace" the development of advanced systems, arguing that safety measures must keep pace with rapidly advancing capabilities. His remarks, made on September 14, 2026, came a day after former President Donald Trump rejected calls to slow AI development, emphasizing the need for the United States to protect its lead over China in the global technology race. Altman stated that pacing does not mean stopping progress, but rather ensuring that capabilities do not outstrip alignment and monitoring. He said the world deserves confidence that American companies will act responsibly, especially as the trajectory of progress has steepened. Altman emphasized that no amount of competitive pressure should justify recklessness. The OpenAI CEO welcomed a federal framework that would establish consistent safety requirements for frontier AI, but added that companies should not wait for legislation or an antitrust exemption to begin the work. He also backed independent auditors and shared standards for misalignment and monitoring.